Engine Rebuild: What would you do?

[roverjosh]

Hello again everybody.

I am going to partake in a complete full engine powder coat project in the late fall. I will most likely have to dissassemble the entire block, heads, transmissions etc. to properly prep the parts.

So I figure, if I am going to dismantle my entire engine, I might as well rebuild her at the same time. Maybe with some better parts. I am not looking to go crazy here, but I would like to make her spin a little faster and beef up the midrange.

The bike as it stands is completely stock. I am considering new mufflers and a chip. Most likely "Staintuned" because of a great price I was quoted from another member, here.

So, if you folks were going to massage a boxer, what would your dream setup be? New cams, H-beams, new pistons, nikasil cylinder sleeves, port and polish the heads, what would you guys do, given the same situation?

Alternatively, is it not worth the expense/trouble for the payoff?
It sounds like a few of you have gotten some great results with just a cam/exhaust/chip, in the past.

Anyway, I was going to start collecting parts, and I thought "who better to ask?"

Thanks in advance.

Josh Sosbee

[signit98]

...Josh, the GREAT quote you got was for a Laser (unless you got another one off-line)...

...as for the tuning, you are trying to scrape a few more ponies from a "well trained" engine... if you really want improvement, you'll have to invest a lot of money and risk bombing your engine or at least shortening the lifespan...

...sure, there are a few folks who have gone through great length and gotten some good results, but at least one of these engines has bombed BADLY (Phillip's) and really, I'd like for ANY of them to honestly provide the price tag for the project...

It's all a matter of what it is worth to YOU, of course... but there are some things better to be done by a professional... and - unless you are one - that'll add to the bill rather quickly...

Some of the simpler mods provide some good improvements and some "seat of the pants" increase in power (i.e. chip, induct, sprockets, PCIII, Exhaust system etc.) and honestly... even if you increase the power, you are still lugging a 535 pound motorcycle around.....

I feel the donkey - with a few simple mods and a strict weight loss program (bike AND rider) is a wonderful and well balanced bike for it's application...

[pmc847]

Yep, my motor grenaded but according to Chris (SJBMW) it looked like a valve failure and not necessary anything I did as part of my modification. In fact Chris had the same failure, same Ferrea valves, on his race bike at the Road America race. If you plan on increasing valve size stick with BMW valves. I'm pretty sure the new R1200 valves with work in the R1100.

It isn't cheap doing these mods and the HP gains for the price spent is minimal. But it's a sport/hobby for me and I enjoyed doing the project. The rebuild, with Chris's help, will make my bike as good as it was and probable better because I'm adding a few new mod.

If you are dismantling the engine then I highly recommend balancing everything. The pistons, rods, crank and flywheel/clutch assembly. Depending on how many miles are on your bike I would put a new clutch ( clutch plate, pressure plate and housing cover). I would go with the 1150 cylinders with HC pistons. That's the least I would do while the motor is apart. You can always do the head work at a later date. Then comes the cam, mild, not wild. Then clean up the ports, 36 mm intake valves and a good valve job. And you can always bore out the TBs for better flow. BBPower should have everything you need.

Philip

04 R1100S BCR # 195
03 R1100S BCR #44 R.I.P. new home with 'onekiwi'
Adjustable cam sprockets (not used)
Milled heads .025
Larger Valves +2mm intake & Exhaust
Ported and polished heads (just a little)
SJBMW Exhaust Accelerator Kit (modified)
Laser Exhaust
InDuct
SJ PowerFilter
Laser 2 spark Chip
K's 3.5 bar regulator
Ohlins
Sargant Seat
Throttle bodies matched to rubber mounts matched to heads
Throttle bodies venture steps smoothed out.
Exhaust pipe welds ground down
Spiegler SS Brake Lines
LED tail/stop light and turn signals
Aux Fuel Tank (6.8 gallons total)

[roverjosh]

This is good stuff. Exactly what I was looking for. Signit98, you are absolutely correct. I did get a quote for a "laser" not a "stain". I just misquoted.
As for mods, I am looking for exactly what you guys are talking about. I don't want hard-core, reliability-killing modifications to try and spunge squeeze everything out of the bike. I would never be able to take advantage or want to maintain that. What I do want to do, what I think you folks are suggesting and are good at, is smoothing the bike out a little. Cleaning up what BMW may have had to detune for emissions issues and overall, just make the bike a little crisper and stronger downlow.

I like the idea of balancing everything. Makes a lot of sense if I am going to replace parts anyway. I was also considering a dual spark and 1150 cc upgrade, as you suggested PMC847. I guess I know now to stay away from Ferrea valves... I usually stick with OEM for stuff like that.

Anyway, my muffler is getting really ratty, and I may have to replace sooner then I expected. Not a problem.

[anotheroldrider]

I've been a fan of ceramic coatings for years - coating the pistion tops, combustion chambers, and intake and exhaust ports will help keep the incoming charge a little cooler and the engine will tolerate more compression on pump gas - the extra compression bumps up mid-range especially, but helps all the way through, and is almost a must with any sort of hot cam to make up for the lost compression from the increase in overlap. HPC do a nice job at reasonable prices - I can't imagine spending the effort and money to pull a motor completely apart for some hot-rod goodies and not coat everything while I was at it. Second on my list is squish band - I'd hate to guess what's appropriate for these motors, but I rate it almost as important if not as important as compression itself.

[shreddr]

rover, it sounds to me like you are dumping some serious coin into your R11, the powder coating bit has got to be aesthetic, so unless you are rebuilding a basketcase wouldn't you be better off selling the 11, and putting what you are going to spend on mods with it and score an R12? Executive demo models are running about $11,000 with a few thousand miles, you buy them from the dealer "as new" and get the warranty and everything. just a thought

here you go!
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/2007-BMW-R1200-S_W0QQitemZ320135318166QQihZ011QQcategoryZ49977QQr dZ1QQcmdZViewItem

[throttlemeister]

Of course, that is assuming you like the R12S. I am sure it will grow on me and it is no doubt an excellent bike, but it never had the 'OMG I am in love, one day when I am rich I must have one of these' reaction when I first saw it in 1998. Quite the contrary.. It was more like 'WTF how can they make something so ugly'.

[roverjosh]

Shreddr, as far as money goes, the rebuild and powder coat will not cost me any additional money, because I am doing the work myself. The navy base has an excellent hobby shop with all the tools and lifts and goodies I could ever want, and I recently bought myself a powdercoat gun from Eastwood.
http://www.eastwoodco.com/shopping/product/detailmain.jsp?itemID=5572&itemType=PRODUCT&iMainCat=459&iSubCat=460&iProductID=5572
So I was going to wait until the rainy season and tear down little bits at a time and powdercoat everything flat black. I just figured if I have to crack the case to coat it, I might as well rebuild it, and if I was going to rebuild it, I might as well rebuild it right. As far as the R12, it is great suggestion. I almost traded my R11 in last year, but BMW cancelled the military sales program for bikes, and since the R11 is paid off (almost) I figured I love it, so I keep it. Plus, when I am ready for my next bike, I am going for the either the 1098 Ducati or a Supermoto, like the Hypermotard or the KTM 950SM. I love my R11 and will never get rid if it. As long as the wife lets me have more then one bike, that is. So my next ride will be a "get silly" machine or a track bike. I want my R11 to be my all rounder. It does everything well already, at least for my skill set.
I really appreciate all the great words of advice guys. Keep'em coming, I am taking notes!

Josh